Centre Vale Park

 Centre Vale Park

Todmorden

Visited on:- 28-09-2023

My Experience:-

This is my first visit to this park and I must say I am really impressed on how accessible it is. Unfortunately I don't know how accessible the toilets are as we didn't have much time, but the Calderdale website says it does have disabled toilets and you will need a radar key for access. This is such a big park with a play area for kids. It has a skate board playing area and a separate exercise park. They also have picnic benches and single ones too. You can see how well this park has been looked after, with all the beautiful flowers ,trees, butterflies, squirrel and bumble bees etc. There are lots of signs and history information about the wars. It has a bandstand and a bowling area. This is such a beautiful park that we could walk all the way around. there is so much history, which was so interesting. We had a lovely walk around the whole park and I met some new lovely people who joined us on our walk too. Through out our walk around the park I also met some lovely people from the community. We all then went to the memorial garden where I had a conversation with some volunteers who were cleaning the pond at the time and they told me they have a list of people on the walls from WW1, WW2 and Korean War.

Information about what we do:-

 I went with a group that I do voluntary work with which is a private group called ACDAF (Accessible Disability Access Forum). We are a group of people who live in Calderdale and have lived in experience of pan-disabilities. We meet on a monthly bases to look at ways of improving access and inclusion for everyone in Calderdale. Our hard work goes to a website called "Visit Unlimited". which is public to everyone. Our main goal is to reduce inequity, remove barriers, promote inclusion and improve access. 

We work towards raising awareness and changing attitudes towards disabled people to enable positive interactions in everyday life. 

    Facilities:-

Centre Vale Park boasts a variety of facilities and activities to suit a wide range of park users, includes: 

• Football pitch (manage by Todmorden Sport Centre).
• Tennis Court (managed by Todmorden Sports Centre).
• Bowling Greens (managed by Bowling Clubs Onsite). 
• A Play area.
• A Skate Park.
• An under 12's roadway.
• An Outdoor Gym. 
• Toilets (located next to the play area)                             
  

(www.friendsofcentrevalepark.org.uk )

Introduction:- 

Centre Vale Park is a public park with woodland belt and open parkland. In the Centre of the parkland is a more formal area, with a symmetrical garden and war memorial. Centre Vale Park consists of 33 hectares of mature oak and beach woodland. Centre Vale Park offers a unique outdoor environment located less than half a mile from Todmorden town Centre.

Trail Notes:-

  

Fielden Statue- Designed by J H Foley and with its cost of £1,000 raised by public subscriptions. It was originally adjacent to the Town and unveiled on 3rd April 1875 as part of the opening ceremony. It was later moved to Fielden Square before being relocated to its present position within Centre Vale Park in 1939.

Todmorden and Centre Vale Park have a long and varied history with periods of change shaping both the town and park. This history has left a legacy of landscape and architectural features that chart the evolution of legacy of landscape particularly over the last 500 years. Many of these features are now hidden in undergrowth or have deteriorated. Visitors may be unaware of their existence, and the story they tell about the history of the landscape. 

The trail includes 17 features of interest that  helps reveal the history of the park and how it has evolved over time. The Centre Vale Estate was created from farmland during the first half of the 19th century, and this trail will show you some of the hidden history of these lost farms together with the wildlife that can be seen here.

(taken from the notice board)

Memorial Garden:- 

•  The main body of the park landscape also includes formal memorial gardens.

• This memorial park is being taken care by volunteers and as you can see they have been doing an amazing job because it looks beautiful. So with their hard work we should all appreciate the beauty and hard work that's been put in.

 

Garden History:-

• Design has been important in the British landscape for centuries. Many people are familiar with the gardens of large county houses, but in fact designed landscape have a vey complex history dating from Roman times and incorporating influences across the world.

 1918:-

• Following the end of the First World War, it was decided that the rose garden of Centre Vale Mansion should be the site for the War Memorial. the terrace at the back was re-built and heightened, sets of steps and the pond and fountain created. The statues were commissioned from the London based sculptor, Gilbert Bayes. Between the two world Wars part of Centre Vale mansion became a museum, or the "Todmorden Historical Rooms" as they were known.

1921:-

• Mrs Fielden's gardener stayed on as head gardener and supervised the transformation of the rose garden. His photograph in Roger Birch's collection shows him proudly standing in the Garden of Remembrance in 1921.

• I was talking to the locals and was told that in this Memorial Garden there used to be an animal house and the fountain area used to work and the pond used to have fishes in it. It's a big shame that its all closed down now. It would of been so nice to see.

• Follow the trail and you will see so much beauty and history. there are squirrels and butterflies etc. So you can go on a wildlife hunt which is also exciting. They also host different events all year around so keep an eye out what event will be next. Its a great way to bring the whole community together and have fun.
  
  

Location Details:-

• Centre Vale Park

Burnley Road,

Todmorden,

OL14 7BS.

Centre Vale Park is located on the A646 Burnley Road, Northeast of    Todmorden town centre, adjacent to the cricket ground. 

A car park is situated off Ewood Lane, West-side of the park and adjacent to the Sports Centre.

Pedestrian access to the park, is by one of the 6 entrances surrounding the main park area. The town centre, bus and railway stations are a 5 minute walk away.

(information taken off Calderdale website)

by Aisha Mir